Reviews - Babbitt | The StoryGraph

256 reviews for:

Babbitt

Sinclair Lewis

3.58 AVERAGE

hilareeads's review against another edition

0.5

challenging slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I thought it was satire and was like yes, great! But then it seemed more like it was glamorizing it. But then it fell somewhere in between to where it seemed like Lewis was trying to make it satirical, but his own wish to be a part of this society and these top few white “elite” men who try everything they can to stay on top and to keep white men on top kept coming through too strongly. And so it was just another story about mediocre white men doing their shitty things and still being on top of society and running shit. It’s one of those where the theory of it was much better than the execution; if he had gone full satire, especially during the time he wrote it, and if he had made the politics of it come through more with more intent, it could have been fantastic. But he was just another mediocre white man writing a book about mediocre white men, and somehow it’s still supposedly an essential book to read. Rude.

Content Warnings

deb_o_rah's review against another edition

3.75

I enjoyed the character arc of Babbit, I did not care for the ensemble cast narration

werkapaluch's review against another edition

2.25

challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

victorianabigail's review against another edition

4.0

A really good one. Lewis manages to make Babbitt simultaneously reprehensible, pathetic, and relatable. He and his milieu feel specific and yet very timely, and there are some very funny moments. It's probably a book that's more admirable than lovable, but it's well worth a read.

chelsl's review against another edition

4.0

funny slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

la_mordida's review against another edition

4.0

Well that was excellent. Well paced, structured and formed brilliantly. It's a study not only of the American 'businessman' but also of the hypocrisies and ironies of average family life. Worth a read for sure, especially for those interested in Americana type stuff.

alex_ellermann's review against another edition

2.0

This is supposed to be a satire of Middle American capitalism and capitalists. However, it doesn’t land. Lewis holds his protagonist, his protagonist’s milieu, and even his protagonist’s crises in such contempt that the reader is led wonder to why Lewis wrote this novel in the first place.

Moreover, the novel doesn’t even get rolling until somewhere around the 2/3 point. I mean, c’mon, Sinclair! Write with a little pep!